CHARGES on small businesses, sole "white van man" traders and taxi drivers using highly-polluted roads in Greater Manchester could be blocked by Bolton.

Politicians from both sides of the council have said they will not support the Clean Air proposals without vital government cash.

This comes after central government was accused of failing to fund the plan to tackle polluting vehicles.

Under the draft proposal, non-compliant buses, taxis and HGVs would be charged on certain routes from 2021 and a £7.50 per daily charge for vans would begin in 2023.

But Labour councillors, who helped develop the plans sent to the government, said they cannot support a "stand-alone" charging scheme that will lead to "severe financial penalties" for taxi drivers and small businesses.

They accused the government of being "totally unreasonable" in its lack of financial support.

Greater Manchester had asked for £59m towards upgrading heavy lorries and vans, £29m to support a switch to greener buses in the city-region, and £28m to clean up taxi cabs and private hire vehicles.

Instead, the government offered £36m for cameras to fine non-compliant vehicles and told the 10 councils to bring forward plans to include vans in the Clean Air Zone to 2021.

Labour leader Linda Thomas accused the government of being "totally unreasonable", saying that the previous administration had always argued for more of the "carrot and less of the stick" approach.

She said: "We have always favoured a well-funded vehicle scrappage scheme instead of daily charges, so that people could be helped to upgrade their vehicles rather than hit with what most people would consider as a fine."

Council leader David Greenhalgh said the government has not refused to fund the plan and a final decision has not been made.

But he said the Tories will not support any scheme without adequate funding.

He said: "Transitional funding schemes must be forthcoming in order to help upgrade or exchange vehicles to make them compliant with emissions. Adequate financial assistance for these groups and others, through any transitional period, is essential, but doing nothing faces the prospect of legal challenge and hefty fines for councils, which local tax payers will then have to foot the bill for."

Lib Dem councillor David Wilkinson described the plans as "weak" but said that the government has "passed the buck".

All 10 Greater Manchester councils must agree to the Clean Air plan before it can be implemented.